German Minister of Labor Hubertus Heil launched the Jobturbo program in the fall of 2023 to integrate migrants who can obtain asylum in the country into the German labor market as quickly as possible. At that time, the government planned to employ about 400,000 people, including 200,000 Ukrainians.
From November to the end of May, within the Jobturbo framework, 32,794 Ukrainian refugees who started either work or professional training were successfully integrated into the labor market. As of March, almost 530,000 of the 1.17 million Ukrainian refugees in Germany were able to work. The employment rate of Ukrainians is 26.5%, including those employed part-time.
Meanwhile, 78% of Ukrainians found work in Denmark, 66% in the Czech Republic, 65% in Poland, 56% in Sweden and Britain, and 50% in the Netherlands.
The high percentage of unemployed Ukrainians in Germany is explained by the high levels of social security and Ukrainians’ advanced qualifications (72% have a higher education).